What Are the Masonic Oaths and Penalties?

Each Masonic degree is conferred with an obligation, an oath of secrecy and conduct sworn at the altar on the Bible or another sacred book. In the American texts of the 1860s each obligation ended with a physical penalty: the throat cut across, the breast torn open, the body severed in two, and in the Royal Arch the skull smote off. The United Grand Lodge of England resolved on 11 June 1986 to remove those penalties from the obligations. Practice elsewhere varies.

Key Points

• Entered Apprentice (1): “having my throat cut across, my tongue torn out by its roots, and my body buried in the rough sands of the sea” (Duncan, p. 35).
• Fellow Craft: “having my breast torn open, my heart plucked out, and placed on the highest pinnacle of the temple” (p. 65) (1).
• Master Mason: “having my body severed in two, my bowels taken from thence and burned to ashes” (p. 96) (1).
• Royal Arch: “to have my skull smote off, and my brains exposed to the scorching rays of the meridian sun” (p. 230) (1).
• England, 11 June 1986: “all references to physical penalties be omitted from the Obligations taken by Candidates in the three Degrees and by a Master Elect at his Installation but retained elsewhere in the respective ceremonies” (Mendoza) (2).
• In Eminenti (1738) (4) already named the oath “upon the Holy Bible” and “a host of grievous punishment” as the bond of the lodges.

The Penalties as Printed in 1866

Duncan’s Entered Apprentice obligation is sworn “without any mental reservation or secret evasion of mind whatever,” and each obligation closes “So help me God.” (1) The 1993 Southern Baptist report quotes a different printed wording of the same three obligations, for example “having my throat cut from ear to ear” (5). Wording differs between jurisdictions and editions.

In the Knights Templar Degree

Richardson’s 1860 monitor describes the Knights Templar degree of the York Rite. After four libations of wine, the Grand Commander pours wine into a human skull, drinks, and presents it to the candidate, “telling him that the fifth libation is called the sealed obligation, as it is to seal all his former engagements in Masonry.” (6) Richardson adds that if the candidate hesitates “to drink out of the skull,” the knights draw swords around him (pp. 119–120) (6).

The English Changes

Mendoza’s paper records an earlier step: Grand Lodge adopted “a permissive variation in the Obligation,” and “Supreme Grand Chapter adopted a similar resolution about three years later.” (2) Then, “AFTER THE DEBATE in Grand Lodge on 11 June 1986 Grand Lodge resolved that ‘all references to physical penalties be omitted from the Obligations taken by Candidates in the three Degrees and by a Master Elect at his Installation but retained elsewhere in the respective ceremonies’,” which became “an Edict of Grand Lodge.” (2)

The Methodist Conference’s 1996 review says the rites “have been changed and no longer connect the oaths with ‘penalties’ - though reference is made to the penalties that were to be found in traditional masonic ritual for many years, including words of an extravagant and even blood-curdling nature.” (3) It adds that “Freemasons believe that the true penalty of breaking one’s oath is that of being known as a wilfully perjured individual.” (3)

What the Churches Object To

Jesus said, “Swear not at all” (Matthew 5:34–37Matthew 5:34–37 · King James Version^5:34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: ^5:35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. ^5:36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. ^5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.Matthew 5:34–37 · King James VersionOpen source) (7), and James repeats it, “let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay” (James 5:12James 5:12 · King James VersionBut above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.James 5:12 · King James VersionOpen source) (8). Many Christians still take a court oath. The objection churches raise to the Masonic obligation is narrower: it is sworn on the Bible, before the candidate knows the secret he is promising to keep, and it calls on God to witness a penalty. The 1993 Southern Baptist report lists among the teachings it found incompatible with Christianity “The use of archaic, offensive rituals and so-called ‘bloody oaths’ or ‘obligations’” (5).

Frequently Asked Questions

Were the Penalties Ever Carried Out?

Freemasons say the penalties were symbolic. The Methodist review records the Masonic view that the real penalty is to be known as perjured (3). This page does not repeat claims of Masonic executions; none was found in a primary source.

Do American Lodges Still Say the Penalties?

Each grand lodge sets its own ritual. No current American grand lodge text was available to quote, so this page does not say.